Monday, January 16, 2012

Now as He walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and
Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after Me, and I will make you to
become fishers of men.

And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed Him.
~~~

Simon and Andrew dropped what they were doing and followed
Jesus - as He told them to do.

Did they follow Him becasue He cast a spell over them?

I don't think so - but I wasn't there. Maybe He did.

I believe that Simon and Andrew followed Jesus because they
just knew - that it was the Right Thing To Do.
~~~

In my Faith Journey - which I consciously Believe started about 25
years ago - I have done the same thing over and over. Although
in retrospect - I see now that my Faith Journey began when I was
born. And furthermore - I Believe that my Faith Journey began
even before that - although I cannot remember where or when.

Which is to say - that I 'forsook my net' and followed the same
compelling 'force' these Fishermen did.

But along the Way I have stumbled and doubted - and I have tried to
ignore this Compelling Force - to no avail.

Now more recently - I have made a Conscious Choice - to follow this
Compelling Force - for the rest of my Life.

That Choice - to Follow the Force - is based on my Faith in Him - and
my Faith is based on my experiences of Doubt and Stumbling - and having
been - as I like to put it - dangled over the edge time and time again - and
then having been pulled - to my great relief - back to safety.

Sunday, January 8, 2012

The title of the film is a combination of the words Religion/Ridiculous

The review of this film is by stidh - and I reserve the right to do this
since I have seen it many times - and have sincerely tried to use good
judgement and discernment in forming my opinions about it.
~~~

What you need to know if you have not already seen Religulous:

~check out Bill Maher's website and see that he clearly states that
he is a Comedian.

~Religulous is a comic based documentary

~be warned that Religulous contains what I like to call 'off-color' stuff -
and if that offends you to the point where you cannot get the value of
this documentary than you need not watch it

~as you watch Religulous you need to - as I did - look past Bill's use of off-color
words and illustrations (see his profile where he clearly states that two
persons that influenced his Comedy are Lenny Bruce and George Carlin)

The Comedy in this video is extremely brilliant so if you like to laugh
then allow yourself to do so without the fear that you are necessarily
agreeing with or approving of what point Bill is making.

Two of my favorite funny moments are:

~the Trucker's Chapel after the men pray over Bill - at which time
he jokingly says his wallet is missing

~in the Christian bookstore he observes that a Madonna and Child
Statue is pricey - and then asks what the Madonna would run without
the Child

It is imperative that you take note of how the people respond to Bill
during the interviews:

~in the Truckers' Chapel - with only one exception - these men show
a sincere interest in cooperating with Bill about his quest for the
Truth about Religion - and more importantly they appear to like him
and most importantly he leaves them laughing

~in the Interview with 'the guy who used to be Gay but is now married'
although this man is skeptical at first it is not long until he seems willingly
caught up in the discussion - and again - as in the Truckers' Chapel -
there is no doubt that a respectful and friendly connection has been
made - and again Bill leaves with them both laughing

Bill's use of Dress in Religulous:

~basically casual throughout

~in the beginning and in the end Bill is dressed in a black jacket
and black pants - and sporting a deep red shirt: devil colors

~when visiting the Christian Theme park in Florida Bill wears one
of his famous t-shirts and jeans - appropriately casual for a theme
park in Florida

~when he visits the Jewish men who are trying to outsmart God
with clever and elaborate inventions - Bill is impeccably dressed
in a stylish suit and tie combination

~if you notice there are other scenes where Bill has subtly but
cleverly chosen dress to help him make his point

What is the Value of this Documentary?

What you get out of Religulous is what you bring to it.

When I saw this movie I had already begun believing in Bill
Maher. Still - I tried my hardest to be objective - and even
prepared myself for disappointment - something I have never
experienced when it comes to Bill Maher.

If you go into this knowing in your Heart that he is a bad person
who is disrespectul of God - and Jesus - then that is what you will
see.

But folks - if you are a person who seeks Truth - and you watch
this with the mindset that you are going to Grow and Learn from Bill's
Documentary - then that is what will happen.

Although the title of this post is a line from a child's prayer
that even athiets surely know - here I will draw upon my
own ideas about the subject of Prayer.

Prayer is a good thing - and I always appreciate it when someone
offers to Pray for me.

But I like it if they first ask me if I mind if they pray for me.

And I always say - what exactly are you going to pray for.

Because I want to make sure that they pray for what I want too.

The Logistics of Prayer

1. When to Pray

~ to start the day

~mealtime

~bedtime

~during a serious discussion - before or after or both

~in prison - especially prisons of our own making

~in a foxhole - real or symbolically speaking

~in church

~in a tight spot

~in a crowded room

~in isolation

~in loneliness - whether for real or among others

~driving in a car

~almost any activity can be a good time to pray : ]

~on a basketball court right before a crucial layup

~on the sideline of a football field : [

~before a White House staff meeting

~during surgery

~while telling a joke before a packed audience

~before a nationally televised debate

~before making a major decision about anything

I could go on and on.

2. Perferred Prayer Positions

~head slightly bowed to show deference to the Creator

~eyes can be closed to shut out distractions - although I rarely do

~my favorite prayer position is on my knees by my bed - I know
God likes us to humble ourselves and if we don't He will do it
for us folks

~folded hands - optional

~always with a respectful attitude

Here the most important thing is: just do it

3. What to Pray

The most basic thing you can say about Prayer is
that it is 'talking to God.'

And the great thing about God is that because He
is Smart (see my post on that) He has the capability
of being able to understand and hear every prayer -
kind of like how Santa Claus can deliver toys to
every child around the World in one night.

About exactly Who to Pray to:

I always just Pray to God - but for some
reason I say at the end of my Prayer in
Jesus' name - that way No One feels left
out.

Since this is my Blog I will just tell my own
thoughts on the Content of Prayer:

~most days I pray when I go to bed and
if I am very tired I just say this:

Thank you (to God) for everything He has done
for me that day and everything He has given me
that day - what you call a bare bones prayer

~lately I have been asking God to keep safe a certain
person that is important to me : ]

I'm almost always very tired these days what with
the Move and right after the Holidays -but when I
used to pray more at night it would include:

~telling God I'm sorry that I have offended Him in
any way - and for me this is Legion

~also I tell him I am sorry about offending Others -
also Legion

~this is a good time to ask for Guidance if I have a
special problem I am trying to work out - I find that
God is always willing to Direct my Life

~prayers for Others

~and really anything else that I have on my mind

about complaining to God - I do that during the day
as it occurs - again Legion - but not during this nightly
session as I try to keep this Positive

An Important Thing About Prayer That Has
Worked For Me:

but first one thing I left out and that is if someone
asks me to pray for them I do it right then so I don't
forget or have to write it down - and if I want to
pray for a Very Special Reason like a family member
I make a point to do that on my knees

Now earlier in my Life I did a lot more specific
Praying - like at set times.

In the Bible the Apostle Paul says something that I
used to wonder and obsess about:

and that is - Pray Without Ceasing

I always thought - How do you do that unless you
are a monk?

Then one day it came to me - Paul was talking about
the Relationship with God. If you have a Personal
Relationship with God - and that has to be developed
and nurtured over a period of time - then you can learn
to have a constant connection with God which becomes
a form of Prayer.

And when you have developed this type of Relationship
with Him - then everything you do - you do it with Him.
Until it becomes sometimes a conscious - or sometimes
an unconscious thing - sort of working together with God
to make your Life better but always recognizing and
realizing that ultimately and thankfully:

God Is In Charge.

Forming this type of Personal Relationship with God is
a Good thing - but never be under the illusion that it
will necessarily make your life Easier - but let me tell
you folks - there is no doubt that it will make your
Life Better.

And that is my take on Prayer.
~~~

I don't usually introduce topics - but coming up on
stidh - this afternoon - I am going to present a review
of the documentary Religulous.

Saturday, January 7, 2012

I was a Sunday School teacher for a number of years (see my post
about that on my very first blog- born to talk)

I absolutely loved being a Sunday School teacher.

Gave it up though - because I couldn't compete with three junior
high girls who insisted on talking at the same time I was
trying to teach.

One of my very favorite Sunday School lessons that I
loved to teach was about the Holy Trinity.

Drew diagrams and everything.

Of coure I can't do that here.

But I'll explain it to you like you were a three year old (see the movie
Philadelphia)

let's call it the holy trinity for dummies : ]
~~~

Father/Son/Holy Spirit (i'm afraid of ghosts)

God is the Father/Creator

Jesus is the Son/Savior

God is the Holy Spriit

Now I think everyone knows who God is - even athiests. And God is
considered our Father because we came from Him - He created us.

Jesus is God's Son - who was born to Save us.

The Holy Spirit is God within us.

But here is where it gets tricky folks. You see God/Jesus/Holy Spirit
are all the same Person: God

Symbolically speaking God sent Jesus (God) to save us from ourselves.
To make it easrier for us to understand God called himself Jesus.
And to make it even easier God calls it when He dwells within us
The Holy Spirit.

Myself - I never confuse Jesus with The Holy Spirit rather I always
think of God as The Holy Spirit - but that's just me.

Now here's the bottom line:

(see my post about how God is smart)

God could have said I am It. I am the Father God, I am Jesus the Son
and Savior and I am the Holy Spirit.

But that's three thoughts.

So He made it easy for us and made up that stuff about the Holy Trinity.

Friday, January 6, 2012

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God -
and the Word was God.

The same was in the beginning with God.

All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing
made that was made.

In Him was life; and the life was the Light of men.

And the Light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
~~~

John 1:1-5 is the Heart of Theology.

Here God gives us the Truth of who Jesus was - and is:

In John 1:1-5 God says in no uncertain terms that God and
Jesus are One.

In the beginning (when God created the Earth)
the Word (Jesus) was there - with God.

Then he repeats himself - if we didn't get it the first time:

The same (the Word or Jesus) was in the beginning (Creation) with God.

All things (Creation) were made by Him (the Word/Jesus);
and without Him (the Word/Jesus) was not any thing made
that was made (Creation).

In Him (the Word/Jesus) was Life (Light);
And the Life (the Light/the Word/Jesus) was the Light (Hope/Love/His
Teachings etc.) of men (mankind.)

And the Light shineth in darkness; and the darkness
comprehended it not.

For me this last part says that when Jesus (the Word) came to
us we didn't understand who He was.

Now I am choosing to think that 'comprehended it not' means
that we don't always 'get it' or we are not capable of 'getting it'
unless we look to Jesus - the Word and the Light - for guidance.

For me John 1:1-5 is not the most beautiful and poetic Scripture
in the Bible - but merely the most meaningful.

For me John 1:1-5 holds the key to the Kingdom of Heaven.
~~~

It has been a long day for stidh - putting away Christmas decorations and
at the same time organizing the garage - so if I seem even a little confused
on this then please someone step up and say something.

Or if anyone has a slightly different take on it then I would welcome any
comment about it.

In a previous post I talk about how I think God is Smart (see
my post on that.)

But if you read the Bible you will easily see that Jesus is Smart too.

How was He Smart?

Because instead of just saying - This is how it is coming down folks - He
always told a story - and the people probably were always thinking Ok there
he goes again he's gonna tell a story.

These stories are called Parables.

Parables are little stories that are told in a way that you have to use your mind
some to get the meaning of them.

Jesus sometimes told Parables about Lawyers - even then people knew about
lawyers : ] .

In Luke 10:25-37 a Lawyer asked Jesus how a person can have Eternal Life.
And for his answer Jesus told the Parable that would eventually go down in
History as undisputably His Greatest Parable.

Jesus told Parables so that the people would have to think about it. So that
later when they were thinking back - maybe later that day or the next one -
they might still be trying to figure out what Jesus meant and they might
even call up one of their friends and say - hey what do you think He meant
by that?

Pretty good huh?

Later I'd like to discuss a couple of my favorite Parables and I hope others will
talk about their favorite Parable too.

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Now I don't go to chuch at present - actually I have not attended
church on a regular basis for going on maybe six years.

But I have nothing against Church - in fact I believe in
going to Church.

I don't go to Church because I get bored. I don't like Sermons.
I think they Pray too much in Church. One at the beginning to
invoke God's Spirit - one after taking up the collection - and one
at the end to ask God to be with us all week would be good - and
please not such long ones. But I was at a Church once where before
it all got started people would stand up and say - This person needs
Prayers and Your Help. And I know these People would Pray for
those who needed it - and help them. I believe that this is a Good
Thing.

I don't like the Social part of Church because I am not a Social Person.

Acutally the only part of Church I really used to like are the Old Hymns.
In fact during the Sermon I used to discreetly get out the Hymnal and
read the words of the Old Hymns - because they were like a nice
Sermon to me.
~~~

I like the Ten Commandments. After all, Moses worked very hard
climbing up the mountain to get them from God and when he came
back down he lost it when he saw how the people were acting (see
the movie The Ten Commandments) and he smashed them - then
he had to start over.

If you read the Ten Commandments you can organizing them into
two groups as Jesus did:

~stuff that relates to God

1. no other gods

2. don't worship statues of other gods

3. don't take the name of the Lord in vain

4. keep the Sabbath holy

not sure where this on goes:

5. honor thy mother and father

~about loving your neighbor

6. do not kill anyone

7. do not commit adultery

8. do not steal

9. do not lie

this one also seems to need a category of its own:

10. be careful about wanting things that others have or it could get you in trouble
~~~

So I think what we have here is a set of rules for us to live by.

Sure - it doesn't cover everything - like some of the issues that are pertinent to
life today - but it's a start.

I like to have things laid out before me so I know where I stand.

And that's why I like the Ten Commandments.

I say let's keep 'em.
~~~~

But because I am a Christian - that's the way I was brought up - and I like being a
Christian - I like Jesus' Two Great Commandments.

He makes it easier for people like me to understand.

He says - you only have to remember two things:

~love God

~love your neighbor

and - well - if you think about it - Jesus was right on.

So all we have to do is decide if we are willing do those two things.
~~~

I have housewife stuff to do and then I'm coming back to discuss all of the
above in detail.

Why - you might ask?

Well the Truth is - folks - I like to write and I like to discuss religion.

And I welcome any and all comments so if someone is reading this and
wants to comment they are welcome to do so.

Anyone commenting here - of course - is free to use
any other translation.
~~~

Before I even attempt to discuss Romans 7:15

For that which I do I allow not:

for what I would, that do I not;

but what I hate, that do I.

I would like to say a few words.
~~~

I am basically a New Testament person. I love certain
parts of the Old Testament - such as Genesis, Exodus
Ruth, Samuel, *Job, Psalms, Proverbs, and Others.

For several years in a row every morning I read the Gospel
- a little at a time - over and over.

The Gospel is the Heart of the Bible.

For me the Main Characters of the Bible are:

God/Jesus

moses

paul

Moses and Paul are - to me - servants of God.

But because I am basically a NT person - Paul
is more important to me.

Paul.

Not a very nice person really - was he?

Until one day on The Road To Damascus he was struck
down by a Blinding Light - and that Light was Jesus
Himself.

He was literally blinded by that Light and was left alone
in a room for three days to think about what happened.

And well - you know the rest.

Paul was so grateful that Jesus loved him enough to save him
from himself - that he spent the rest of his life showing his love
for Jesus - and showing others the Way.

Now I have never studied Romans as hard as some people -
because it is complex - and maybe because I really don't
want to understand it.

For you see Romans 7:15 holds the key to our relationship with
God.

And once you get it - then you know what you can and cannot do.
(let me put it this way - if God calls me on it - I can plead ignorance : ] )
~~~

So you see - I believe that in Romans 7:15 - Paul is saying that we
know what we should do - what God wants us to do - but we won't
do it. And what we do - well we do it because of our sinful self - and
it is hard to resist sin - isn't it folks.

The devil that I don't believe in is causing me to stir up trouble
for someone who is just trying to live his life in the best way he
knows how.

And here I am - my sinful self - trying to ruin that person's life.

So what should I do folks? I refuse to go to a nunnery.
I'm gonna go after what I want - but don't want to ruin
someone else's life.

I mean - when you've got nothin' you've got nothin' to lose.

But do I have to ruin someone else's life to get what my sinful
self wants?
~~~

I'm open to suggestions (besides going to a nunnery) so please
someone help me out here.